Return of the magnificent six

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Star turn: Brad Fittler at Coogee yesterday. The Blues five-eighth faces intense scrutiny in Origin II as he seeks redemption for the disappointment of the 2001 series. Photo: Craig Golding

It's been hyped as a clash between the world's best five-eighths but they may not even cross swords. Brad Fittler tells Roy Masters how he'll play in Origin II.

There's always a game behind The Game. When the NSW State of Origin team assembled at a Randwick restaurant on Monday night, coach Phil Gould invited everyone to stand up and describe themselves.

The staff spoke first, with manager Chris Johns explaining his rolled-up tracksuit collar was to hide the rope marks left by the noose by which he was almost hanged after he was deemed responsible for players leaving the team hotel at 3am before OriginI.

"My name is Christopher Shane Johns and you blokes almost got me sacked. Don't f--- up this time," he said.

But Willie Mason stole the show with, "I'm Willie Mason and I've got ADHD. I've got a slight alcohol problem and I don't go to brothels any more".

As an icebreaker, Gould's move was brilliant. The recall of veteran Brad Fittler was always going to distract debate away from the ignominy of the Origin I camp but some closure was also required. Fittler, never one for speeches, simply acknowledged his senior status and said, "It's good to be back".

His return promises to be the most scrutinised since General MacArthur stepped ashore in the Philippines, with Fittler admitting he wants to atone for his exit from Origin football three years ago, when the team he led was humbled.

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Joining him in the recall from that embarrassment in Brisbane are halfback Brett Kimmorley and prop Jason Stevens. Centre Matthew Gidley, second-rower Andrew Ryan and prop Mark O'Meley also played in that game.

If Origin II is all about exorcising the demons of 2001, the new NSW team is not without some sorcery, judging from the way the ball swept almost magically across the ruck during training at Wentworth Park midweek.

Like a high-speed teleprinter shifting across a page, tapping into short spaces and then swooping across with long carries, the ball moved first right and then back, speeding to the open with clever cut-outs and decoys.

It was far more sophisticated than the way Origin games are often played - like a Barbary ape taking a lead cosh to the typewriter keys.

But perfection is the noble aim of all coaches and Gould was clearly in charge, calling the players together and rebuking them when the dropped-ball rate became unacceptable.

Gould has said OriginII is Kimmorley's show but really it his own.

When Gould presented two flat footballs and a pump to Kimmorley on the first day of camp - a reference to a previous remark from the Sharks camp that Gould believes his importance to rugby league is such he even controls the air that goes into the football - it wasn't an invitation to Kimmorley to run the show.

It was more an offer to contribute, a reminder to everyone that NSW's preparation is a team thing.

In any case, Kimmorley's style suits the way Gould wants his Origin team to play - short advantage-line passes with plenty of players in motion, setting high-speed recognition problems for a retreating defence.

And it wasn't only Kimmorley taking the first pass off the ruck, with Craig Wing and Fittler also assuming the role. The Wentworth Park training session was different to the ones run by missing injured half Andrew Johns, who sometimes resembled the conductor of an orchestra, majestically waving the baton at his enthusiastic players, other times playing the role of a dispirited band leader, flicking it miserably at musicians who didn't belong on the same stage.

At training this week, Gould first divided the players into two groups - the left-hand-side players and the right-hand-side ones. Rugby league remains a regimented game.

Given that the majority of players are right-handed, the ball inevitably heads more to the left, meaning it is better to put the defenders on the right-hand side.

Fittler will play on the left and his Roosters teammate and lock Craig Fitzgibbon on the right. However, in attack, Fittler will float, with Kimmorley taking the first pass.

Confirming this after training on Thursday, Fittler said: "The half pretty much runs the show. He will do a lot of the ball playing. The way we've trained, he's been in charge but hopefully I'll get more say than Timmo [Shaun Timmins] did in the first game. He's basically a lock and the first game was very slippery, so hopefully I'll get more ball."

Like Johns, Fittler can clear the forwards with one pass, a distance most club halves would need two passes to cover, and he can do it equally well orthodox or southpaw. He can also step off both feet, although his left is the more prodigious.

"I'll be on the left-hand side with Lewie [centre Luke Lewis] and Andrew Ryan and hopefully they'll get more ball," Fittler said.

"I'll be definitely calling for it but I plan to get over on the right-hand side, as well. I find that if you stick to one side, you can fall out of the game."

Queensland five-eighth Darren Lockyer is also a left- and right-side player, although he is a better runner than Fittler and will try to go the short side, running wide to hit wingers Billy Slater and Matt Sing with the ball at top speed.

The bottom line is this: despite the hype surrounding the meeting of Fittler and Lockyer, they won't clash that much during the 80 minutes of Origin II at Suncorp Stadium.

"The way the modern game is played, it's not as though five-eighths can line themselves up," Fittler said. "There's a good chance we will not play against each other at all in the game."

Queensland would love to have a player like Gorden Tallis terrorising Fittler, running at him constantly, tiring his 32-year-old legs and stinging his battle-weary shoulders. The Maroons' best option for a player to fulfil this role was Fittler's Roosters teammate Michael Crocker, who is suspended. Crocker is the type of player to whom a coach can assign a task, running at X, cleaning up Y.

But the Maroons have gone for size, with five props, so they don't have the wide runners to flatten Fittler.

Origin I was a tight game for three reasons: no ball-moving five-eighths, slippery conditions and referee Sean Hampstead's skinny 10 metres. ARL chief executive Geoff Carr has spoken to Hampstead about opening up Origin II.

"On behalf of both leagues [NSW and Queensland], and given the nature of OriginI, we were keen to let him know the 10 metres needs to be observed," Carr said. "If he has to blow his whistle early to achieve this and sets that trend early, it will be a great game."

Fittler said: "It will be interesting to say the least."

And asked if he could play 80 minutes, he replied: "If my body doesn't let me down. There's a big chance of that happening."